Crimson Magazine, Winter 2011

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70 Whippany Road Morristown, NJ 07960 (973) 539-3032 www.mbs.net

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It’s Back...

WINTER 2011

Crimson

REMARKS FROM THE HEADMASTER

The Morristown-Beard School Magazine

DEAR FRIENDS of MBS,

BOARD OF TRUSTEES M. Thomas Conway, President Michael Ranger, Vice President Katherine Rohrer, Vice President John Taylor, Treasurer Richard Markee, Secretary

During the past decade, the advances that have taken place at Morristown-Beard School have been nothing short of transformational.

BOARD MEMBERS John Adams Penny B. Boorman ’51 Patrick Burke ’84 Mary-Ellen Campbell (Honorary) John M. Egan John F. Fay Linda S. George David V.H. Hedley ’64 (Honorary) Allan P. Kirby, Jr. ’49 (Honorary) Sheila Klehm Michael Magner Betsy Patterson John Peirano Debra Roth Lee Kellogg Sadrian ’89 Barbara Sandelands Donnell A. Segalas Haleh Shafaie Joseph Stefani ’81 Monya Taylor ’88 Siobhan A. Teare ’77

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Contents WINTER 2011

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Director of Communications

Crimson Corner

Director of Alumni Relations

Alumni Spotlight: Jeff Grace ‘92

Steve Patchett Lisa Bevacqua

Features Writer Carol Selman ‘64

Photography

David Kramer ‘69, Steve Patchett

Designer

Jennifer DeAngelis

Printer

AJ Images

Remarks from the Headmaster MBS News Briefs iPad Pilot Program “Following the Vision: True to the Mission”

Director of Development Alison Cady

SPIR10 WE IT E P. 18 K!

Class Notes MBS Celebrates the Legacy of Rose Koch Lehman Lecture

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Spirit Week

From the renovation of Beard Hall, Grant Hall and South Wing to the construction of Founders Hall, the new athletic fields and a new Middle School building, there is hardly a corner of campus that has not been significantly upgraded. As you can imagine, such dramatic physical improvements to our facilities make for wonderful moments as alumni and friends visit today’s MBS. To see their eyes light up with pride is one of my great pleasures as Headmaster.

Not necessarily discernable on campus tours, but of the utmost importance, are the advances that are taking place within the classroom walls. We have been committed to expanding and enhancing the curriculum with an eye toward student-centered learning, encouraging interdisciplinary teaching opportunities, decreasing teaching loads for faculty, and spearheading new technology initiatives such as the Apple iPad pilot program. All the while, we have been dedicated to increasing the financial aid budget, ensuring that an MBS education remains accessible to all qualified students.

These bold initiatives have been forward-thinking while staying true to the School’s mission, values and tradition – and they are the direct result of thoughtful strategic planning. So I am particularly pleased to present to you the 2010 Strategic Plan within this issue of Crimson Magazine. This document sets forth our School’s goals and objectives and will serve as our beacon for the next five years. The adoption of this Strategic Plan is a significant step toward realizing a shared vision for Morristown-Beard School.

This plan is the culmination of a year-long collaboration and is the result of broad involvement, reflecting the contributions of hundreds of individuals. I thank the trustees, faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni and friends who participated in this process. Their involvement has shaped a strong plan that is highly ambitious yet certainly achievable.

As we reflect on the accomplishments of the past decade, it is clear that the School’s successes would not be possible without the commitment, energy and creativity of the entire Morristown-Beard community. With your ongoing support and dedication, MBS will continue to rise to new heights and meet the challenges of the next 10 years...and beyond.

With all best wishes from campus,

Special:

Strategic Plan 2010 booklet inside!

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Dr. Alex Curtis Headmaster

MBS News Briefs

Literary Magazine Earns Silver Medalist Award Morristown-Beard School’s Upper School literary magazine, Mariah, was recently honored with a Silver Medalist rating by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

The 2010 issue of Mariah received the recognition in an evaluation that examines the magazine’s organization, content and design. Positive comments included, “There is good variety…Your writers take emotional risks… There are some promising young writers represented here. Emily Price’s memory piece in tribute to her grandmother is very moving and descriptive.”

The 2010 edition of Mariah was edited by Nina Cammarata ’12 and Rebecca Saltzman ’11 under the guidance of faculty advisors Michael Dundas and Samara Landers. The literary staff included Riddhi Amin ’10, Reva Dhingra ’10, Rachel Donahue ’12, Ruth Frankel ’11, Harrison Kronfeld ’12, Charlotte McAuley ’10, and Emily Young ’10.

The 2008 and 2009 editions of Mariah were awarded “Excellent” ratings by the National Council of the

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Teaching of English program to recognize excellence in school literary magazines.

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association, a program affiliated with the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University in New York City, was established in 1925 to help improve student publications.

A Powerful “Diary of Anne Frank”

Morristown-Beard School staged a moving and powerful production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” as its Upper School fall play in the Theater at Founders Hall.

Performances were held on November 3rd through November 6th.

Poignant and emotionally rich, “The Diary of Anne Frank” tells the story a young Jewish girl and her family’s concealment from the Nazis during the Holocaust. Only 13 years old when she went into hiding in the Secret Annex, this gifted young girl kept a diary of the daily events which has since been translated into 67 languages and presented countless times on stage and screen.

The original stage play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett was further adapted by Wendy Kesselman into a transcendently powerful study of courage, love, and humanity.

Director Susan Speidel, Chair of the MorristownBeard Performing Arts Department, explained that the decision to stage the play was inspired by Holocaust survivor Tova Friedman who visited MBS last spring.

“At the end of her presentation, she looked out from the stage at Founders Hall and said ‘I am a witness of the Holocaust, but there are not that many of us left.

You are our legacy. You must pass the lessons onto future generations.’ In discussing her presentation with several students that day, I found that they were as moved by her words as I had been. When I went home that night, I moved “The Diary of Anne Frank” to the top of my pile of scripts,” said Ms. Speidel.

Morristown-Beard’s talented cast featured Samantha Cocuzza ’12 as Anne Frank, Susanna Mathews ’12 as

Mrs. Frank, Alex Fetchko ’11 as Mr. Frank, Rachel Donahue ’12 as Margot Frank, Ciara Devereux ’11 as Mrs. Van Daan, Christopher DeBono ’12 as Mr. Van Daan, Harry Kronfeld ’12 as Peter Van Daan, Austin Fernandez ’12 as Mr. Dussel, Kyle Fisher ’12 as Mr. Kraler, Pooja Aggarwal ’14 as Miep Geis, Kevin Glancy ’12 as the S.S. Officer, Spencer Zubrow ’12 and Charles Hill ’12 as Nazi Soldiers, and Jeffrey Maser ’11 and Sailesh Doraiswamy ’12 as Dutch Informers.

Understudies included: Rachel Moss ’13 (Anne Frank), Rachel Butensky ’13 (Mrs. Frank), Kevin Glancy ’12 (Mr. Frank and Mr. Van Daan), Erin Hargrave-Kerns ’14 (Margot Frank and Miep Geis), Charles Hill ’12 (Peter Van Daan), Rachel Butensky ’13 (Mrs. Van Daan), Spencer Zubrow ’12 (Mr. Dussel), and Sailesh Doraiswamy ’12 (Mr. Kraler).

The stage manager for the production was Danielle Ciccodicola ’12. The behind-the-scences crew included: Neela Asaadi ’11, Daniel Collins ’13, Alex Dranetz ’11, Eric Fernandez ’14, Gioia Kelleher ’14, Elisabeth Maranca ’11, Margaret McDonagh ’12, Eric Schlossman ’13, and Nina Zwarycz ’12.

In addition, Morristown-Beard students created a lobby display for the show that highlighted the life of Anne Frank and the themes of her story.

PA Fundraiser Shows the “Passion for Fashion” Guests at the annual MorristownBeard School fall fashion show clearly showed a “Passion for Fashion” on November 9th at the Birchwood Manor in Whippany.

The entire MBS community is grateful to co-chairs Terry Passione and Janie Rakow as well as the many parent volunteers, faculty, staff and friends whose hard work and generosity made the day a success.

More than 20 MBS seniors appeared on the runway alongside professional models, highlighting fashions by Saks Fifth Avenue. In total, more than 80 members of the senior class also participated by walking the runway and presenting a member of their family with a special gift.

Morristown-Beard models included: Jashiel Apolinario, Neela Asaadi, Anna Balliet, Taina Bey, Caroline Bouillon, Kevin Brennan, Jack Desmond, Jake Fishter, Neale Gadde, Will Gerhard, Stephen Gianis, Anthony Guerrieri, Andrew Hartel, Kathryn Hentenaar, Dylan Joskowitz, Molly Radin, Allison Silvershein, Samantha Stathis, Nicholas Strunc, Jaime Summers, William Vandeveer, Cristal Vivanco, Clarence Williams, Kwadwo Woods-Lokken and Derek Zambon.

Guests enjoyed getting a jump on their holiday shopping, winning fabulous raffle prizes and baskets of goodies, and catching up with old friends. The fall fashion show is one of the Parents’ Association’s major fundraisers. Proceeds from this year’s event will be used to directly benefit the students and programs of Morristown-Beard School.

History Students Discover What Lies Beneath Morristown-Beard students got an inside look at local history and archeology on October 7th as Upper School history teacher and resident archeologist Dr. Alan Cooper discussed his work at the Lord Stirling Manor House and the Lenape Meadow excavation sites in Basking Ridge.

Dr. Cooper has been working at these sites for nearly 30 years as part of projects sponsored by the Somerset County Parks Commission. He explained that Lenape Meadow, located in the Great Swamp, is an area long known for prehistoric occupation and is the site of a Late Archaic/Early Woodland village. Students were able to examine many of the hand tools, scrapers and points that Dr. Cooper and his team recovered there.

“One of our biggest finds there was a spearhead made of jasper. It’s an early Woodland artifact and is 3

approximately 2,000 years old,” said Dr. Cooper.

Students learned about the methods, tools and techniques used in field archeology, from laying out a grid system to meticulously cleaning and cataloguing each item. Dr. Cooper told the students that while it’s thrilling to unearth an ancient fire pit or projectile points, the real satisfaction comes from discovering the stories that the artifacts can tell.

“From looking at these objects you can reconstruct a day in the life of someone who lived 5,500 years ago,” said Dr. Cooper. “Some hunter built a small fire in a hearth, faced west, sat down with a block of argillite and made tools.”

Dr. Cooper also showed the students several colonial artifacts that he discovered at Lenape Meadow, including a carriage step, a handle from a dresser, pieces of ceramic and a pair of scissors.

Morristown-Beard School Trustees Penny Boorman ’51, Patrick Burke ’84, Tom Conway, Linda George, Betsy Patterson, and John Taylor visited campus on October 25th to see what a typical day at MorristownBeard School is really like.

Each Trustee was paired with a student host for the day and was able to get an accurate glimpse of campus life by sitting in on activities and classes.

Students Anna Balliet ’11, Lauren Capo ’11, Jacqueline McGinley ’12, Rebecca Saltzman ’11, Olivia Schreiber ’15, and Tyler Smith ’15 served as tour guides for the day.

Although test-taking was strictly optional, the Trustees participated in many typical activities including classes, advisory, recess and lunch.

received a top ranking for her age group by USA Climbing. Earlier this month, she competed in the IFSC Youth World Cup in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she placed 33rd out of 64 athletes in the 13-15 age group.

“I was really happy,” said Steinberg. “Especially considering I was one of only two 13 yearolds in the age group.”

Steinberg qualified for the tournament after placing fourth at the Sport Climbing Series Nationals. She also placed second at the American Bouldering Series National Championships held in Alexandria, Virginia, where she beat 30 top competitors from around the country.

Steinberg was introduced to the sport only four years ago after her brother, Mike Steinberg ’17, attended a birthday party at the Gravity Vault, an indoor rock gym just 15 minutes from her home. She gave climbing a try and was immediately hooked.

“It’s motivational. There’s always something new to try,” said Steinberg. “If you can’t do one thing you can always move on to the next climb.”

Climbing has become a year-round sport for Steinberg, who practices two or three times a week at the Gravity Vault in Upper Saddle River and loves to get outside in the spring and summer. Locally, she enjoys climbing in the Shawangunk Mountains in New York State, and she has also climbed in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky.

She credits her success to her conditioning and physique as much as her mental game.

“Generally, rock climbers don’t have really muscular builds – it’s more of a wiry thing,” she said. “You also need a lot of patience and determination. You have to want to get up the wall and not stop until you reach the top.”

Steinberg plans to keep competing in the sport and hopes to take it as far as she can. For her, the sky truly is the limit.

This November, she planed to compete again internationally when she travels to the Pan American Games in Ecuador.

vocal music teacher Bruce Van Hoven had an idea. He asked if the group’s members ever wrote arrangements for other groups - specifically school groups. Amy Englehardt, the lone female member of the group who is known as “Amy Bob,” responded affirmatively and agreed to create something specifically for the MBS a cappella group, The Crimsingers.

Before the end of the year, the members of Crimsingers discussed various songs and eventually chose “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen as the piece to be arranged for them. After some preliminary conversations via email with Mr. Van Hoven, Amy took the song and gave it her own special treatment. That included referencing other songs in the arrangement including Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” and Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”.

Mr. Van Hoven noted, “I’ve been a Bobs fan for the past 20 years, and was so impressed with how good she was with the students last year. I gave her the basic parameters but, was happy to give her carte blanche to write the arrangement as she saw fit. I figured she was the a cappella pro.”

Amy joined The Bobs in 1998 and can be heard on their recordings “The Best of the Bobs” (2003), “Rhapsody in Bob” (2005), “Get Your Monkey Off My Dog” (2007), “Live at the 20th Century” (1998), and “The Bobs Sing!” (2001). Originally a classically trained theater artist, Amy appeared in over 50 productions ranging from the European tour of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Fiddler on the Roof” and appeared with MBS Performing Arts Department Chair Susan Speidel in a production of “Annie” back in the 1980’s.

By September, Amy’s arrangement of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” was completed - tailor-made for MBS! The Crimsingers will rehearse and prepare it for performance in this Spring’s Vocal/Instrumental Concert and the Spring Arts Festival.

The Sky’s The Limit for MBS Rock Climber

A Special Arrangement for Crimsingers

Morristown-Beard freshman Zoe Steinberg ’14 knows what it’s like to overcome obstacles and reach new heights. Steinberg is an avid rock climber and

When the award-winning and slightly eccentric a cappella group “The Bobs” visited Morristown-Beard School last year to conduct workshops for our chorus,

Dr. Edward Sherman wears many hats at Morristown-Beard School – history and religion teacher, advisor, grade dean,

Trustees Spend a Day on Campus

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MBS Teacher Publishes Book on Perceptions of America

and cricket guru. Now, he has added another title: published author.

In his new book, America Through the Eyes of China and India: Television, Identity, and Intercultural Communication, Dr. Sherman offers a stimulating, fast-paced look at the way two Asian superpowers, China and India, look at the United States via the lens of television. America has long exported its network and cable programming abroad, but with a changing world comes a changing dynamic.

According to Professor James Mark Shields of Bucknell University, Dr. Sherman’s book is “part travelogue, part academic analysis, topped off with unrelenting black humor. America through the Eyes of India and China is sure to engage anyone interested in intercultural relations and (mis-)communication.”

Professor Robert Paul Churchill of George Washington University says “Dr. Sherman’s book offers valuable lessons on culture, identity, and what it means to be an American in a world in which pluralism continues to be important despite globalization.”

Dr. Sherman joined the MBS History department in 2007. He holds a doctorate in Religious Studies from Vanderbilt University and earned a B.A. and M.A. from McGill University.

The book is currently available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

How do you Spell Excitement?

S-p-e-l-l-i-n-g-B-e-e There is an inherent sense of drama and suspense in a spelling bee, and that was certainly the case on November 3rd as more than 20 MBS Middle School students took center stage in Founders Hall to battle it out in the annual spelling bee. One by one, the students approached the microphone to stand in front of an eerily silent audience and wrestle with words like “alliteration,” “daffodil,” “mongrel” and “ambivalent.”

When the smoke cleared, six Middle Schoolers were left standing and will represent MorristownBeard School at Delbarton School in a competition against other area students.

Congratulations to six grader Amogh Anakru ’17, eighth grader J.D. Parker ’15, and eighth grader Renee Terry ’15 who will comprise Morristown-Beard’s “varsity” team of spellers. The MBS “junior varsity” team will include eighth grader Maggie Collier ’15, eighth grader Mahdiyyah Karriem ’15 and eighth grader Ben Schreiber ’15.

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The iPad

enhancing students’ learning.”

BY STEVE PATCHETT

An Apple for the Teachers AND the Students

Dr. Curtis said that the iPad’s tablet design was a conscious choice over traditional laptops.

“When the clamshell comes up on a laptop, it’s literally a barrier between the teacher and student. That barrier gets in the way. You want eye contact,” he said.

With a flat design and long battery life, the iPad seems to be integrating seamlessly into Morristown-Beard School’s discussion-based classes. Already, it’s easy to see how the technology is transforming the classroom as students have instant access to a wealth or information and resources.

“I have so much more information that I can use,” said Anna Balliet ’11. “Just for one simple assignment, I have so much information in front of me.”

In classrooms around campus this fall, the rustling of paper has been replaced by the quiet tapping on iPad screens.

Instead of being asked to open their textbooks, students are now being asked to open apps like Google Earth, graphing calculators and image programs for art history.

It’s all part of Morristown-Beard School’s Apple iPad pilot program, as 60 students began using the devices in courses across the curriculum including Early Modern World, Baroque Art History, Advanced Geosciences, A.P. Calculus, and Freshman English.

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In embarking on the program, Morristown-Beard School has become one of the first schools in the nation to integrate this new tablet technology into its curriculum.

“The iPad pilot program is in keeping with our philosophy of using technology to serve the curriculum, not the other way around,” said Headmaster Alex Curtis.

“We deliberately waited for the right device to come along. We believe the iPad is that device and it will help the School fulfill its curricular vision by aiding the emergence of new teaching methods and

Stephanie Ironson ’11, who is also enrolled in the Baroque Art History class with Balliet, agrees. “We have an entire gallery of pre-loaded artwork for our course. You can easily research different time periods, artists, and types of art. You can click on the pictures and zoom in on details,” she said.

Paul Fisher’s Advanced Geosciences course takes a simulation approach to the curriculum, and students are using a variety of scientific apps and resources on their iPads as they become consultants in a geo-science firm faced with real world issues.

As students grapple with topics like global climate change, mud slides and wild fires, they use computer tools including 3-D modeling systems obtained from NASA and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

Elsewhere, freshmen in Roger Richard’s Early Modern World class have researched topics such as mercantilism and given group presentations using the Keynote app on their iPads. The students’ presentations were enhanced by the many visual elements they found to illustrate their ideas. Mr. Richard said the iPad can be a very effective tool for group projects.

Students are not just using the iPads in classroom, however.

Since they have them 24 hours a day, there is plenty of time to explore the device’s possibilities and be creative.

“It’s not just in the classroom where you’re learning on the iPad,” said Brandon Baron ’11. “If you need extra help with it, you have it right in front of you whether you’re sitting on your bed at home or sitting on the couch.”

Weighing in at just a pound and a half, the iPad also means heavy textbooks and bulging backpacks may be a thing of the past. A lighter load is definitely welcome news to Taina Bey ’11 who is enrolled in the Advanced Geosciences class.

“The iPad gives us a whole database of books that are printed by the U.N. on climate change that are really, really thick and would be a huge pain to carry around,” said Bey. For freshman Travis Nardin ’14, the iPad helps keep his backpack not only lighter, but more organized.

“I really like it,” said Travis Nardin. “It helps me with my homework because my notes are all right there and the organization is key for me. With a regular binder, my notes used to get all out of control.”

Senior Ruth Frankel ’11 agrees, saying she would be lost without the iStudiez Pro app that helps her keep track of her classes, activities and “to do” list for the day. Frankel, who is enrolled in both the Baroque Art History class and the Advanced Geosciences class, says,

“I find the iPad very helpful in class, but for “It’s extremely versatile for the students to some students it can be distracting,” she have their textbook, notebook and Internet said. “If you are an attentive student, you access in one device,” said Mr. Richard. can certainly make the most out of it.”

“The students are able to work collaboraAt the end of the semester, students and faculty will report tively and creatively, and the technology back their experiences and if the program is successful, schoolreally helps to speed the process.” wide implementation is eyed for 2011-12.

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Following the Vision: True to the Mission

10 Years of Guided Change and Growth

BY Carol Selman ’64

Culture is always changing. Schools must evolve and meet new challenges while holding true to their core values. They must prepare their students for an ever-quickening pace of technological and informational change.

Morristown-Beard School is proud of its evolution over the past 10 years. Changes can be seen on the campus and in the classroom.

Change can be felt in the growth of School spirit and pride. Change can be sensed in the maturity and achievements of students in class 8

discussion, on and off the playing fields, on stage, or far afield in Peru planting trees or in Alabama building houses.

Morristown-Beard is proud that this evolution has come from indepth discussions and strategic planning which asked who we are, who we want to be, and how we can achieve our goals.

Since 2001, the most visible change is the new campus. The School’s physical structures and site plan have been transformed with new and retrofitted buildings, traf-

fic patterns and an orientation to a western quadrangle.

More subtle is how each renovation and new structure serves the educational vision of the School.

Central to this vision is curriculum and how to teach and assess students. Here the strategic planning teams asked: “How do we best prepare our students for the future?”

“Who is each student and how can he/she best learn?” “What are the key components of critical thinking and assessments?”

The 2010 Strategic Plan identi-

“When you stand on Senior Circle today, every building around you – the entire face of the campus – has been renovated,” said Dr. Curtis. “It’s quite striking, really, that apart from the Math Building and the Dining Hall, the entire campus has been rebuilt in the past 10 years.”

The cover story headline of the winter 2001 issue of Crimson magazine cried “Bare Beard! Beard Hall Gets Skinned and Gutted while a New Grant Grows to New Heights.” More conservatively put, the 1891 Beard Hall - once Morristown School’s Old Main - was being lovingly retrofitted, expanded and transformed to include the new Anderson Library, modern classrooms, reception rooms, meeting rooms and an inviting student commons that would open onto a patio to the west quad. Meanwhile, Grant Hall – formerly known as Old North - was also undergoing significant renovation.

Under the guidance of Headmaster Laird Davis, the $13 million campaign for the Beard and Grant Hall project set a new precedent for fundraising at the School. Davis called the physical plant needs at the time “genuine and urgent” and anyone who navigated the buildings’ narrow corridors or witnessed the leaking roof and pipes strongly agreed.

“There is excellence at Morristown-Beard School,” Davis said as the campaign began.

“Among our riches are a dedicated faculty and a

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talented student body, but our school is not rich in library and classroom space.”

By the end of the campaign, all that had changed.

Beard and Grant Halls provided spacious classrooms and new opportunities for learning while the Anderson Library had nearly doubled available study areas and provided “Internet access and word processing through optically-wired computers” – a revolutionary concept at the time!

The summer of 2004 welcomed Dr. Alex Curtis and his family to MBS. In short order after the arrival of our new Headmaster, there were many more changes to campus. By the fall, the School had made significant progress on the “Fields of Excellence” campaign to upgrade its athletic facilities along Whippany Road. Plans were drawn for a new FieldTurf playing surface for Burke Field, a new rubberized track, and the creation of The Crimson Terrace for spectators.

One year later, eager to complete renovations to the School’s exterior athletic surfaces, plans were made to upgrade Billings Field, the playing surface located between the Simon Athletic Center and Grant Hall.

Then, in 2007, the School launched its “Ahead With Confidence” capital campaign and Crimson magazine headlines declared “New Middle School Moving Ahead,” and “Excitement is Building on Campus.” The $16.2 million project would fund three major construction initiatives: the renovation of South Wing, the expansion of the Middle School and the creation of a performing arts center.

After a complete overhaul, South Wing became home to the School’s Learning Center, visual arts department and nurse’s office.

Meanwhile, the Middle School was undergoing a thorough renovation and extensive expansion.

The division’s previous home was both antiquated and inefficient with narrow hallways and staircases, cramped lockers in the classrooms, and a floor plan that often forced students to contend with

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fies five central areas: curriculum, technology, sustainability, accessibility and communication. Each is important in the context of the School’s mission: “To nurture the academic, social, emotional and physical well-being of its students while helping to shape their knowledge and contributions of a global community.”

Or, more simply put, what do we want our students to learn, how do we want them to learn it, and who do we want them to be?

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inclement weather when moving between classes.

The new facility boasts a central hallway and commons area for gathering, more classroom space, upgraded science and art rooms, and display space for student work.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony in September 2008, Head of Middle School Darren Burns spoke about the impact the project would have on generations of students. “We couldn’t be happier about the opening of the new building. The pieces have really come into place to provide our Middle School students and teachers the resources and space they need to support the meaningful learning that is taking place here.”

Also by 2008, ground had been broken on, perhaps, the crown jewel of MBS’ strategic planning, Founders Hall. “A new performing arts facility has been a part of the School’s Master Plan for the past 20 years, and a dance studio was first promised to the Beard School in 1972, shortly after the merger with Morristown Prep. Fulfilling that promise would not have been possible without the determination and guidance of our Board,” said Dr. Curtis at the gala reception that marked the opening of Founders Hall.

Boasting an impressive 630-seat theater, Founders Hall has become the new home of Morning Meeting. For the first time in decades, the School community can gather together in one room. Additionally, the facility boasts two levels of lobbies which provide wonderful spaces for receptions, gatherings and art exhibitions.

And don’t forget the Headmaster’s Cottageturned-Alumni House. The charming Dutch Colonial Revival built in 1916 had for generations been the home of Morristown and MBS headmasters and their families. It is now home to the School’s Alumni and Development offices and offers comfortable gathering rooms for intimate receptions and events.

What is most important is that each of these new and renovated structures is the successful fulfillment of a comprehensive Strategic Plan. Ten years ago, five years ago, MBS had the foresight - the vision - to create the physical facility where the mission of a true community of learning could and does flourish.

SUPPORTING A CREATIVE FACULTY Changes have not been limited to the School’s buildings and grounds. Indeed, some of the most meaningful enhancements have been those inside the walls of our campus buildings.

A cornerstone of the Morristown-Beard experience has always been a personal approach to education supported by a caring and creative faculty. “Simply put, people are the heart of Morristown-Beard School, and we take great pride in the talented teachers we have here,” said Dr. Curtis.

One of the main objectives in the last Strategic Plan was to attract, reward and retain the highest caliber of faculty. Since 2005, the number of teachers at Morristown-Beard School has grown by 20 percent.

This calculated increase in faculty, ensures that MBS is able to maintain its commitment to small classes, strong teacher-student relationships and individual attention.

Steps have also been taken to create interdisciplinary teaching opportunities, emphasize faculty de-

Dean of Faculty John Mascaro Walk into John Mascaro’s office in Beard Hall and view posters of the life of his mind: novelist Thomas Pynchon, jazz great John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie and singer/songwriter Bob Dylan are among the icons celebrated on his walls.

In 2000 Mascaro joined the MBS faculty as an English teacher after many years of university teaching and as a writer. In 2003, with his growing awareness of the new world of technology and new research on how students learn, Mascaro approached the then Head to create a Dean of Faculty with responsibilities of overseeing curriculum, faculty development and hiring.

Mascaro recently paused in his discussion of strategic planning and the new curriculum to share some more personal thoughts

“I would say that faculty course reduction has easily been one of the most important advances at the School in the past 10 years,” said Dr. Curtis. “It may not be as flashy or noticeable as the physical plant, but it has had a huge impact on how our faculty teach, and ultimately, on how our students learn.”

“I give our Board of Trustees tremendous credit for being so far-sighted and recognizing the value of course load reduction. If we wanted to be one of the best schools in the country, we knew we had to adopt this plan,” said Dr. Curtis.

CURRICULUM

velopment, provide the latest tools and technology in the classroom, and – perhaps, most notably – decrease the teaching course load.

The course load reduction initiative, affectionately known as “The Mascaro Plan,” grew out of a concept spearheaded by Headmaster Alex Curtis and Dean of Faculty John Mascaro.

“We need to shift the focus from how we teach to how students learn,” says Dean of Faculty John Mascaro. Dr. Mascaro, an experienced university and secondary educator, is discussing the philosophy and practices of the MBS curriculum. “We can’t educate for an uncertain future, we must foster the critical thinking skills that prepare our students today for rapidly changing knowledge tomorrow.”

Simply put, the MBS curriculum is the required course of studies. That said, the theory and practice underlying the curriculum can be complex.

about education: “I care deeply about MBS and I care deeply about students and education,” Mascaro said. “What I realized in my own past was I learned from the teachers who validated who I was and what I was learning.”

Mascaro, who holds a PhD in English literature and is always ready to talk about what he is reading and why, continued: “Many of us in education become lifelong learners. We want to carry some of the gifts we were given by specific teachers to the next generation,” Mascaro said. “We must all think critically and challenge our own assumptions.”

Since his 2002-2003 appointment as Dean, Mascaro and a dedicated core of School community members have been exploring how best to promote the cognitive growth of every student while meeting their emotional, social and academic needs.

“In the past decade there has been an explosion of cognitive studies on how people actually learn,” Mascaro said.

“These studies reinforce what we are doing at MBS. We ask. ‘What are the habits of mind, the essential skills, that each student needs in order to flourish in college and beyond?’”

The School brought in Dr. Daniel Sullivan, president emeritus of St. Lawrence University and a former sociology professor, as an advisor. Dr. Sullivan has published groundbreaking research on education.

“We can now study and measure student progress in higher order learning, moral reasoning and multicultural understanding,” Sullivan said during a recent visit to MBS to discuss faculty development programs with Mascaro.

Sullivan, who was also a valued facilitator at the MBS Strategic Planning Retreat, explained that schools can measure how their seniors will actually perform at the colleges they will be attending. “This is more important than students being 11

12

admitted to elite colleges. We can now demonstrate how and why MBS student succeed at these colleges,” Sullivan said.

“I keep returning to MBS, as they don’t just pay lip service to studies of how students learn. They implement real programs,” Sullivan added.

Here is an example of the new thinking: If you want young people to be lifelong readers, give them choice for their summer reading.

“We jettisoned the traditional summer reading list in favor of asking the whole faculty to sponsor two books and letting students chose two titles from this varied selection of titles,” Mascaro explained.

Students then met with the faculty member sponsoring their choices and had real conversations about each book. The concept here is that guided choice leads to deeper learning.

Another innovation is the creation of collegelevel advanced seminars in topics such as religion, problems in medicine or ethics led by faculty with deep knowledge of each subject. One such faculty member is world history teacher Ed Sherman who holds a PhD in religion and recently published America Through the Eyes of China and India: Television, Identity and Intercultural Communication. “What is important is not just the facts of history but how we handle them, use them, explore their meaning and significance,” Sherman said.

His colleague, Joanne Goldberg, a former lawyer with graduate degrees in history and education, offers an example of the new curriculum in practice (see sidebar on right).

Real to Reel is an elective course with content similar to a college-level Introduction to American Government and Politics course. It loosely follows the outline provided by the AP level textbook, The Logic of American Politics. There the similarity with many traditional AP Government courses ends.

“I use the textbook as a reference tool and I integrate more stimulating visual media and experiential exercises wherever possible,” Goldberg said.

Goldberg’s students recently viewed lectures by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt on the moral roots of liberals and conservatives and by Harvard professor Michael Sandel on the lost art of democratic debate. Students were given guided viewing questions. Post film discussion explored both the current political spectrum and the Aristotelian analytical process.

“The discussions were extremely high level and the kids were very engaged in the learning process,” Goldberg said.

Engagement is the key here. For further follow up, Goldberg made up her own version of the classic game theory problem called “Prisoner’s Dilemma” to demonstrate the difficulty of reaching collective action.

“We used this activity as a springboard for discussion of impediments to collective action: the prisoner’s dilemma, the free-rider problem, the tragedy of the commons, transaction, the cost of conformity and more.

We also talked about possible ways to combat these impediments such as punishment, incentive, negotiation and delegation.”

Asked about her educational philosophy, Goldberg replied, “It is important to recognize that students today are used to processing information in a multi-sensory manner - quite frankly, we all are. With all of the technology that MBS is offering to teachers and students right now, it is paramount that we try to incorporate these multi-sensory experiences into our classrooms.”

“It is an extremely exciting time to be an educator and I feel lucky to be teaching at a school at the forefront of the new wave in pedagogy,” Goldberg concluded.

technology

As to the students, listen in:

Think back to the computer or mobile phone you had in 2000, if you had one. Think about how you used these devices then as compared to now. Using a portable phone to find your way with a GPS app, locate a friend or take a photo of that unfortunate fender bender you just had - all these actions were beyond what many of us imagined ten years ago.

Similarly, Morristown-Beard’s use of technology has snowballed in the past 10 years. From the classroom to the E-Bulletin, how information is

“The simulations make things more hands on. The fact that we can compare our schoolwork with things that we see on a daily basis, makes it easier to understand.” --Ciara Devereux ’11

Real to Reel:

“Our goal

A Case Study in Critical Thinking and Student-Centered Learning

“This type of teaching is beneficial to all different learning styles because it is not the simple reading of a textbook, but it includes video and audio aspects.” -- Jaynie Seigel ’12

The geosciences courses make use of a simulation approach. Fisher and Turner’s students become consultants in a geoscience firm and complete a 30-40 page collaborative risk assessment of an actual situation facing a town council, such as wild fires and mud slides in Los Angeles or potential problems arising from future climate change Northwest Washington state.

“Students use computer tools as common as Google Earth or as esoteric as the STELLA dynamic systems modeling system and a three dimensional climate model obtained from Columbia-NASA/GISS (National Aeronautic and Space Administration/Goddard Institute for Space Studies),” Fisher said.

In addition, students read widely in primary source material and write many individual essays in addition to the final report.

The Honor sections of Advanced Geoscience are participating in the iPad pilot program. The iPads allow higher levels of information access.

Steve Patchett also contributed to this article.

“The assignments are creative and promote a more versatile and creative mind. That is essential for learning. Taking this class has inspired me to consider a career in politics.”

--Will Gerhard ’11.

is to develop a scientific approach to problem solving,” Fisher said. “Most of our students won’t become scientists, but they will be living on this planet, so we are preparing them for real world situations.”

received and processed and the uses of technology as a means to learn have changed dramatically and will continue to evolve. In the next five years, MBS will continuously examine what are the best new technologies and how they can serve the School’s mission and curricular goals.

The Advanced Geosciences (AGS) 12th grade courses offered by Brad Turner and Paul Fisher are lively examples of technology serving knowledge, critical thinking and real world experience:

Both students and faculty rate the simulation approach as both highly effective and enjoyable.

“These courses are just plain fun to teach. It’s the real world, with real issues that will affect all of us, but especially the students. It’s why Brad and I went into teaching,” Fisher said.

13

Building On Our Success:

The Evolving Campus

Beard & Grant Hall

On January 27, 2000 Grant Hall crumbled to the ground in a pile of historic rubble as the capital campaign was officially underway. Four years later, MBS had given the front of the School a much needed facelift – renovating Beard and Grant Halls and adding the Anderson Library.

Middle School A completely renovated and redesigned Middle School opened in September 2008 with spacious classrooms, upgraded technology and common areas designed to foster all kinds of new interaction.

Athletic Fields

Athletic Fields are now turf

Between 2004 to 2006, MBS installed FieldTurf on Burke and Billings Fields, added a new rubberized track and created the Crimson Terrace for spectators. The Athletic Fields Campaign marked the most significant athletic improvements on campus since the construction of the Simon Athletic Center in the 1980s.

Founders Hall Funded as part of a $16.2 million campaign, Founders Hall opened in the winter of 2009, boasting a 630-seat theater, rehearsal space, classrooms, and lobbies for exhibitions and receptions.

South Wing In 2007, South Wing was completely remodeled to become the new home of the MBS Learning Center. The renovated facility also houses visual arts classrooms and the School nurse.

14

15

An Interview with

Tom Conway

Board of Trustrees President

on this campus and always wanted to attend.

Her experience has surpassed even her own lofty expectations and is a pleasure to watch.

Q: Why is the Strategic Plan so important to the School?

A: The Strategic Plan is a road map of what we will strive to achieve over the next five years. It provides a transparent list to the entire community both externally and internally about our areas of focus and where our energies as a board, staff and faculty will be during this time frame. As a board, we begin sketching out ideas that have 10 and 15 year lives to them and as we meet throughout the year, we begin to narrowly define what broad objectives are possible through funding and policy perspectives over the near term.

That “near term” for us is 5 years. These thoughts are done in concert with open discussions with the Headmaster and faculty and staff who provide presentations to the Board throughout the school year. That accumulated knowledge provides much of the framework that we use to project out to much longer term horizons.

Q: How important is it to have community buy-in to the Strategic Plan?

BY STEVE PATCHETT

Tom Conway third from the left

Tom Conway and his wife Kim have been an integral part of the Morristown-Beard community since their daughter Jennifer ’06 first enrolled in 2002. Tom served as President of the Crimson Club for two years, joined the Board of Trustees in 2004 and has served as President of the Board since 2006. His younger daughter, Lauren, is now a 7th grader at MBS. Q: What first attracted you and your family to Morristown-Beard School and what led you to become so involved in the MBS community?

A: As Jennifer was going through the interview process in the winter of 2001/2002 – and we were sitting in the trailers speaking with then-Director of Admission Alison Cady, it seemed clear that the School was just beginning to emerge into its own. Previous boards and faculty had worked hard to upgrade much of the campus and while much of that was just taking shape, the core of the School was beginning to shine and was evident in the many folks that I spoke with during the process.

It did not take long for Jennifer to emerge 16

and blossom herself. As parents, we knew that energy and passion inside of her, but it was a combination of terrific classmates and an extraordinary faculty, staff and coaches that brought out her full potential. As I have said many times, we saw a competent but shy girl emerge into an outgoing, confident and energetic young lady right before our eyes, and all in just a few weeks.

I have told many people who asked why I got involved that it was this “loud sucking sound” into the School. And that is correct, but more to the point, I really wanted to be able to give something back to the School that was so clearly giving so much to my daughter. Kim and I are seeing the very same result with Lauren. She has nearly grown up

A: One of the many things that I am most proud of is that our community is engaged in the Plan from inception and assists in every aspect of accumulating an in-depth analysis of who we are, what we do and what the final result may be.

The Strategic Planning Committee put in hundreds of hours of work meeting with parents, alumni, peer schools, faculty and students to gain insight on how MBS is seen in the community, their experiences, and areas that they feel that we may focus on. Our recent alumni reflected on their experiences at the School and spoke about how it prepared them for college, not just in the application and acceptance process, but how well-prepared they were to succeed.

In short, every constituency of the community has the opportunity to provide input.

That knowledge is collected and assembled into a briefing book for the trustees, faculty, administrators and current students who comprise the strategic plan committee. The briefing book approached 150 pages and presents a holistic view of MBS. Then the entire committee meets in an effort to narrow our discussion into some main areas of focus. The steering committee uses that information to form discussion points for a two-day, off-campus retreat. It is an incred-

ible event and I am struck at how profoundly each person thinks and projects from “36,000 feet” all with one goal in mind: to make MBS better in five years. About 60 days later, a Committee of five has narrowed hundreds of pages and hours into a working document and presented to the entire Strategic Plan committee. Literally, each word is parsed to ensure that everyone feels that this document reflects exactly who we are, what we will do and why. In short, the community buy-in is critical. It’s part of the fabric and culture of who we are. And we have it.

Q: How do you gauge the success of a Strategic Plan? How is it evaluated?

A: That is a great question and I am glad that you asked that. Many times, in the corporate world, very well articulated plans are vetted out, presented in three ring binders and then put on the shelf until it’s time to do another one. We take ownership of these plans. At our March board meeting each year, a member of the senior team goes through the Strategic Plan, just as you have here, and we review bullet-by-bullet and in detail, what has been done and what areas are in progress or remain open. This board is constantly searching for ways to evaluate and measure the success in every area of the School. Well into the next Strategic Plan, we continue to monitor the effectiveness of previous ones.

Q: What are some of the most dramatic changes you have seen on campus since the 2005 Strategic Plan?

A: Among the many initiatives that Plan mapped out are the very visible and tangible changes on our campus and ones that we now enjoy everyday.

Over the last six years, we have invested nearly $22 million dollars in new buildings, renovations and fields. We now enjoy a beautifully renovated Alumni House, new Learning Center, and of course the Middle School and Founders Hall. It is nearly impossible to drive onto campus and not be impressed with the beauty of our facilities and grounds, all of which were laid out in the 2005 Plan.

Q: While improvements to the physical plant are instantly noticeable, what are some of the other more subtle changes that have been equally important to the life of the School?

A: The physical plant is one of six areas of focus in the last plan. While that is the most

visible, we worked hard in other areas to create meaningful improvements in a wide range of other areas, and there were many.

As a board, we instituted a 360 degree review of our Headmaster, including peer and feeder schools with input from the senior team and the board. That review process extends to the board as we anonymously evaluate ourselves, our processes and the President.

We invested in the School through a program that allows our faculty to teach four sections rather than five. This gives them more time with each student and helps keep class size down to approximately 11 students. This was a significant investment but arguably the one that touches our students the most.

We also focused on doubling the availability of financial aid which increased access to Morristown-Beard School and helped ensure that our community is open to all. I am proud to tell you that 10 percent of our operating budget is now dedicated to this effort. Other areas included increasing, focusing and improving our marketing efforts such as this publication, and a thorough review of the daily schedules and our curriculum review that began in the 2005 Plan and will be executed in the 2010 Strategic Plan.

Q: How satisfying is it to see a Strategic Plan goal go from the planning stages to reality?

A: The real satisfaction comes when I speak to our parents, alumni, faculty and staff, but perhaps most importantly, when I see the faces of our students and their reaction to being a part of our community as these programs and buildings literally unfold before their eyes.

The ideas develop in small discussions and then manifest themselves in architects’ renditions and drawings, faculty presentations and many meetings and reviews, so many times it seems that it develops quite slowly.

Then, I find myself in Founders Hall with our entire community, or in a classroom watching a very talented faculty member educate our students seamlessly using the very latest technology and their well developed skills.

I have said many times, as a board, by the time that a Strategic Plan is built, we should be looking forward to the next one as the cumulative effect of all of these is what our School will become. It is enormously exciting, gratifying and humbling to be a part of MBS during this extraordinary time.

Q: What are some of the highlights of the 2010 Strategic Plan? What do you find exciting as we look toward the next five years at MBS?

A: You pointed out quite correctly that our last Plan had many visible components to it, and at that stage in the life of our School, that is exactly what it needed. Now as we look forward, we want to continue to be a leader on many fronts. The next plan may be a little less bricks and mortar, but no less important. Arguably, it may be more visionary and impactful on our educational philosophy and students. As I referenced earlier, the beginnings of a curricular review began in the 2005 plan, and now will be fully developed by invoking critical thinking, writing and risk taking in the learning environment by applying those skills across all disciplines.

We are not here simply to get our students into the best possible colleges and universities, but must equip them with the skills that allow them to succeed once they have left our campus. The committee has developed avenues to implement this as a school-wide effort.

We have already introduced a revolutionary iPad program and will continue to explore ways that we can incorporate the advances of technology to enhance our teaching methods. Additionally, we must continue to explore ways to increase accessibility for new students, recognizing how diversity positively affects our entire community. We will explore all of our options in sustainability and look to our students to be leaders in this regard. As a board, we have already begun evaluating alternative energy sources to lower our carbon footprint and examine any new projects through LEED parameters. We will also continue to tell our story and develop new marketing and measuring vehicles to ensure that we have explored every opportunity.

I am fortunate to be a part of a board, administration and faculty that takes great pride and satisfaction in MBS and all that we try to accomplish for the benefit of the students. I am grateful to all those who have come before and laid the foundation that has allowed us to witness great successes over the last five years. I am excited to see where we are going and look forward to all that is about to come not just in five years, but in the next 10, 15 or 20 years.

17

mbs Community Shows Its Crimson Pride

BY STEVE PATCHETT

As several giant chickens, a gorilla and a sloth approached the podium at Morning Meeting on October 12th, one thing became abundantly clear - Spirit Week had arrived at Morristown-Beard School!

This year’s activities featured a full slate of events aimed at promoting class unity and boosting School pride to a fevered pitch!

Throughout Spirit Week, students were asked to dig deep into their closets to participate in Crimson Zoo Day, Relax To The Max Day, Class Movie Day, Class Color Day and Crimson Spirit Day. Special thanks to the Crimson Club for generously donating the Class Color Day T-shirts.

The entire MBS community gathered to join the fun on October 18th as the junior and senior girls took to the gridiron for a flag football game followed by the annual running of the Kirby Mile. Senior Mackenzie Keck ’11 captured first place overall with a time of 5:08 while freshman Micaela Reilly ’14 was the fastest girl in 6:10, and Steve Patchett won the Master’s Division in 6:06.

On the football field, Morristown-Beard cruised to an easy victory over the Hopatcong Chiefs while the MBS Pep Band entertained a very enthusiastic crowd. Adventurous fans also enjoyed a climbing wall that was set up on the Crimson Terrace.

Earlier in the week, the seniors and the juniors squared off in boys’ field hockey and dodgeball in addition to girls’ flag football. Morning Meetings featured a Jeopardy game as well as the annual students vs. faculty Quiz Bowl competition.

18 16

2010

SPIRIT WEEK!

Crimson Corner

Varsity Sports Round-Up Fall 2010 Cross Country The cross country team worked incredibly hard throughout the season and saw a number of huge improvements in times, culminating in a race at Whippany Park where 17 of 19 runners ran personal best times.

Four runners received recognition from the NJAC as Nick Cornine ’13 and Micaela Reilly ’14 earned First Team All-Conference honors while Ryan Casey ’12 was named to the Second Team and Mackenzie Keck ’11 earned Honorable Mention. The team finished with a 2-3 record in its division with one loss coming by only a single point to Whippany Park. Captains Greg Scott ’11 and Jack Fleming ’11 provided leadership throughout the season and the team was paced by co-MVPs Nick Cornine and Micaela Reilly. Cornine placed third in the state prep meet while Reilly finished second in state preps and was the only freshman in the division to be selected First Team All-Conference. Kyle Larsson ’14 showed a great deal of promise

and was named the team’s Most Improved runner.

Field Hockey The field hockey team played hard all season long, and their overall record did not reflect the talent and determination they exhibited throughout the year. Co-MVPs Maggie McDonagh ’12 and Caroline Bouillon ’11 both showed tremendous work ethic and tenacity. McDonagh was awarded First Team All-Conference, Third Team All-County and First Team All-Prep honors while Bouillon earned First Team All-Conference, third Team All-County and an Honorable Mention on the Prep Tournament All-Star squad. Elizabeth Pellicane ’12 earned a Coaches Award and was also awarded First Team AllConference, First Team All-Prep and an Honorable Mention All-County.

County and Conference accolades were also given to senior goalie Ruth Frankel ’11, senior defender Jaime Summers ’11 and senior forward Hilary Smith ’11. Summers, a team captain, was also awarded the Girls’ Fall Sportsmanship Award.

Football This fall, Morristown-Beard School competed on the junior varsity level due to a lack of players. Thanks to the positive attitude, enthusiasm and dedication of the entire team, the Crimson enjoyed a very successful season and will resume a varsity schedule next fall. The team had sev-

the seventh best player in the conference. The team looks forward to a bright future since they are still young and played with a roster of mainly juniors and sophomores this season.

eral memorable games, particularly a dominating win over the Hopatcong Chiefs to cap the Morristown-Beard’s Spirit Week celebration. Senior John Fay ’11 earned the team’s Most Valuable Player Award while Alex Bruno ’12 stepped up on defense to be named Most Improved. Senior Forrestel Nugent ’11 was given a Coaches Award for his leadership and willingness to help the program succeed.

He also earned the Boys’ Fall Sportsmanship Award. The team is looking forward to playing an independent varsity football schedule for the fall 2011 season. “We are extremely excited about the news and about the future of our football program,” said Head Coach Tim Fell.

Girls’ Soccer Despite having a very young squad, the girls’ soccer team (4-11-1) played with heart and progressed throughout the season. The team’s first win of the season was a 2-0 shutout of Hopatcong as freshman goalie Dana Riback ’14 turned away 10 shots. The Crimson posted two wins over Boonton and also defeated Butler. They tied a powerful Whippany Park team and played strong games against Pingry and Gill St. Bernards, falling just 2-0 to Gill in the opening round of the North Jersey, Non-Public B Tournament.

Freshman Kathryn Bregna ’14 showed offensive spark and earned a Coaches Award along with sophomore Allison Aiello ’13. Freshman Mikhaela Schultz ’14 earned the team’s Most Improved Player award. Sophomore Victoria Gonzalez ’13 also played well for MBS in goal.

Boys’ Soccer The boys’ soccer team had a very good season this year, finishing with an 8-11 record. The team advanced to the prep quarterfinals and the state quarterfinals, and also recorded an impressive 3-1 win over Whippany Park - the first win against this team in five years. The team recognized three players with MVP Awards this season: Jacob Schreer ’12, Doran McManus ’12 and Tyler Terens ’12.

Schreer was named to the Second Team All-Conference and was a solid performer all season. McManus was also named Second Team All-Conference and was an enthusiastic cocaptain of the team. Terens, the other co-captain, earned First Team AllConference honors and was ranked

Girls’ Tennis As their blazing 5-0 start to the season indicated, the Morristown-Beard girls’ tennis team quickly became a team to watch this year. In the County Tournament, MBS finished 6th among 22 schools. They advanced to the State Tournament for the second consecutive year and were seeded fifth among teams like Newark Academy, Dwight Englewood and Gill St. Bernard. MBS recorded a 10-4 record and finished second in their conference to powerful Villa Walsh. Junior Emily Gruenberg ’12 fought her way up to second singles and earned the team’s Most Improved Player award.

Gruenberg pulled out huge wins against Mountain Lakes, Whippany Park and Montclair Kimberley, among

others. Fellow junior Jaynie Sigel ’12 also earned a Most Improved Player award for her dedication and tenacity. Senior Lucy Donnally ’11 was presented with a Coaches Award for her positive attitude and leadership on and off the court. The future continues to look bright for the girls’ tennis team as freshman Maria Sapozhnikov ’14 enjoyed a tremendous season, pulling out two first singles wins in the State Tournament before falling in the Round of 16.

Volleyball The success of this year’s volleyball team can’t be measured in terms of wins and losses. Thanks to hard work and dedication, it was a recordbreaking season for the Crimson as they recorded the most kills, aces, and blocks of any season at MorristownBeard. The team notched a huge win at the end of the season against Warren County Vocational Technical School, and also had nail-biting games against Newark Academy and Morris County Vocational Technical School.

Captain Diana Williams ’11 racked up 40 kills, 14 aces and a record-breaking 23 blocks this season and received a Coaches Award. A second Coaches Award was given to Tatiana Johnson ’12, who tallied a record-breaking 62 kills and 29 aces. Freshman Patricia Del Colle ’14 quickly became a starter on the team thanks to her dedication and initiative and was named the team’s Most Improved player.

BY STEVE PATCHETT

21

Adsit, Kevin Dorff, Rachel Dratch and Jim Zulevic. It blew my mind. I never had any idea of how artists and actors get started. I just thought that’s what other people did. The fact that I could take classes to be funny on stage, well that was a very exciting concept to me.

By the way, Rachel Dratch was the undeniable star of the show I went to – and went to again a month later. Tina Fey wasn’t that memorable, but apparently she wrote all the best sketches.

Makes sense now.

JEFFCE GRA ’92 While working days as a Leo Burnett ad executive, Jeff secretly dabbled in comedy at night on the Chicago stages of Second City, IO and various stand-up clubs. Having won several competitions as a stand-up comedian, he moved to Los Angeles and was hired to write for The Henry Rollins Show. Today, Jeff continues his comedy in L.A., having done stand-up shows with Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and Louis C.K.. When not performing, Jeff runs Vacationeer Productions with long-time friend and business associate Kevin M. Brennan. You may have seen him as an actor recently on the Nickelodeon show iCarly, videos online with his group The Vacationeers or the Emmy winning series Mad Men. Do you remember your first time doing stand-up comedy on stage?

How did it go?

My first gig was upstairs at this Irish dive bar in Chicago called The Red Lion. It was pretty much an open mic. I have an audio tape of it somewhere. I remember there was a cut out of Bob Newhart’s head on stage and I remember my first off-the-cuff joke was about him. I remember that and a bit about Ivy League students being annoyingly coy in telling people where they went to college. I still do the Ivy League bit from time to time these days. That show went great...there was so much energy, preparation and fo22

The popularity of your comedy group The Vacationeers really skyrocketed thanks to YouTube exposure. Were you surprised when your videos started getting so many views?

cus. But like most comedians, the shows after your first are often the hardest because you can’t recreate that magic. I’m pretty sure I bombed my second show.

Did you do any acting or comedy writing when you were a student at Morristown-Beard?

I didn’t do any acting or comedy writing at Morristown-Beard. I was more into playing hockey and student government - I was Senior Class President. On the nerdy side, I was in Model U.N. as well. I saved most of my comedy for detention – generating from performances in Math and Language classes. God bless Dr. Farlow. Living in L.A., I could have really used the Spanish she was trying to teach us.

Were there any particular

comedians who influenced you?

I have always loved Bob Newhart for how dry he is. I really love the storytelling comics like Richard Pryor, Eddie Izzard or Woody Allen. It was just set up/ punch line with those guys.

How did you decide to pursue a career in acting, writing and comedy?

I was working at Leo Burnett, an ad agency in Chicago, and the HR rep came to remind me that the deadline for the company to pay for 75 percent of “continuing education” was coming up. I remember asking her which schools were covered and she said, “University of Chicago, Northwestern, Second City, DePaul...” My mind locked on the third because I just saw my first (and still best) show at Second City called “Paradigm Lost.” The cast had Tina Fey, Scott

The first video we did that got “viral” was one I wrote called “Google Maps.” Yes, it really did open a ton of doors. The good news was we had a lot of other funny videos on our site up until that point, but no one checked them out until that “Google Maps” video blew up.

We eventually got flown up to Google, and we secretly wondered if they were just going to dump our bodies in the San Francisco Bay because our video depicted them as Big Brother. Instead, they asked us to make more Google videos and in return donated to us a very expensive camera to shoot them. They just asked to approve the scripts - which were very dark in tone - and that was it.

Google is one cool company. Thanks to the success of those Google videos, we raised money to shoot our first feature film, “The Scenesters”.

How has the Internet shaped your work in comedy? Is most of your work with Vacationeer Productions produced for the Internet?

Yes, most of our work is produced for the Internet, but we have shot one feature film, “The Scenesters”, which won a prize at Slamdance and has played over 25 festivals. We have also shot some music videos, industrials and festival short

films. We are currently making a top secret 3D horror film with the guys who made “Quarantine” and “Devil”. That might be our first studio film, or we may raise money ourselves to keep more creative control. We begin pitching in two weeks.

How did your new film “The Scenesters” come about?

We knew that the Internet comedy space was becoming crowded and we really felt like making a feature would set us apart. We sort of felt that a “found footage” movie would be the easiest to shoot, and we thought we could make it really funny. One of the guys in our group, Todd Berger, came back to us in a few weeks with an amazing script that mashed up film noir, found footage and hipster murder. We loved it. In fact, the very first investors in the film are the guys I was best friends with at Morristown-Beard: Gene Stull, Mike Culnen, Mark Hebeka and Cardie Saunders.

What do you enjoy most acting, writing or doing stand-up comedy?

Stand-up is by far my favorite because of the immediate crowd reaction, but unfortunately, it’s really hard to make money in stand-up these days. I really

do love it all. I guess that’s the writer/ actor tradition of Second City in me.

With acting, you might think you were funny, but then you sometimes have to wait a year to see it in the theater. Then some stranger comes up to you after the movie and says “great job” and you think to yourself, “But I didn’t do anything, that was like a year ago, I just ate popcorn and drank soda tonight.”

What’s next on the horizon?

What future projects can we expect to see?

As I mentioned, a 3D ghost horror film called “Specter” is a movie I’m producing with the team behind The Scenesters that has a lot of industry excitement. The Vacationeers also have a TV pilot that we are currently pitching to various networks. We also want to raise money to shoot another small budget indie at some point next year.

Other than that, still acting, auditioning and doing stand-up a few times a week.

It’s a really fun career that is way more work than I would have ever imagined and you just hope that you kind of get a bit of luck and one of your projects gets you to that “I wonder if we could get Jeff Grace to be in this movie” level. Right now I’m at the “That guy with the curly blonde hair was pretty funny... maybe he could play Waiter #2?” level.

23

CLASS notes

1942

’56, lives in Australia so we will visit her next year.”

Ann Palmer Bayliss says, “No

1954

European trips this year, but I’m looking forward to being in New England for 10 days over Thanksgiving with family – three sons and wives and three grandchildren.

A delightful group! I hope at least a few members of the 1942 class will send news.”

1944 Barbara Franks Yatsevitch

1930 Randolph “Pat” Jenks Alison Cady and Lauren Lentine recently visited with Pat in beautiful Tuscon, Arizona.

Pat is 98 years old and recently published his fourth book, The Adventurous Life of Randolph Jenks. Pat has generously donated a copy of each of his books to the MBS Library -- stop by and check them out!

1945

1937

Joan Ferris St. John and her

Alfred Jaretzki is retired from his surgical practice but is still active in the field of myasthenia gravis, in which he developed a surgical technique for complete removal of the thymus gland.

1938 Dorothy Eisele Graesser writes, “It makes me very happy at age 90 to be able to say that I still have four close friends who were classmates of mine at Beard’s. They are: Ann Lounsbury Brundage ’37, Virginia Bittles Warnock ’38, Peggy Tobin McKenna ’38 and Jane Peabody Zillessen ’38.”

1941 Lauren Lentine had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with George de Schweinitz in beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico. George, a retired French teacher, loves to travel, is active with his German ancestry, and is an avid outdoorsman.

24

is extremely grateful to be able to donate blood to the Red Cross regularly. “It’s the best thing I do. Anyone can write out a check, but to give one’s life blood is a gift. I give thanks that I can.”

Rita Crespin Willens is enjoying life in California.

1948 husband Bill have nine wonderful grandchildren. “We wish everyone good health and happy holidays!” she writes.

1949 Phoebe S. King and her husband Bob are enjoying life in Florida. “The weather is gorgeous, golf games are improving and there are lots of bridge players here!”

1951 Diane Rinaldi is saddened to report the death of her husband of 53 years on September 26 after a short illness. She now lives iin a retirement community in West Caldwell, near her youngest daughter and her family. She has eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

1952 Fran Ford Morse and her husband Dave are retired and are enjoying their three children and six grandchildren. “We recently traveled to Europe and to Hawaii with family. My sister, Alison Ford

Susanne K. Albert remains in close contact with members of her class and Morristown-Beard School. She is retired and lives in Cape Cod.

Penny Dunn Alexitch is a real estate investor who owns a house in New Hampshire as well as several condominiums in Florida.

Anne Overman Bunn and her husband live in Vero Beach, Florida as do Pete and Kathy Meglaughlin Ferris.

Anne still has a condominium in Chatham, New Jersey near her two sons and their families. She also has a son in California and a daughter in Gulf Stream, Florida. “We all got together in August with our 13 grandchildren.

Great fun!” Anne is in close contact with her cousin, Fran Overman Mercer, who lives in New York and spends the summer in East Hampton.

’56 had a great luncheon during the summer and reminisced about their years at the Morristown School – including a memorable canoe trip that they took down the Delaware River in 1952.

1960 Melinda Mitchell Lyon writes that she was “lucky enough to fly with my husband in a DC3 and land on the dry lake bed at Edwards Air Force Base, where the Space Shuttle sometimes lands.”

1961 Tobi-Sue Wobbe Graham just returned from “keeping” her seventh lighthouse – this time on Lake Superior in Minnesota. She now has three grandchildren with the birth of her grandson Thomas on October 6, 2010. Another thrill this year was seeing her son, Jove Graham, become a Jeopardy champion on TV!

Ellie Newman Caulkins, Denver’s “First Lady of Opera,” received the Mayor’s Cultural Legacy Award (as did her husband George, posthumously) in the opera house that bears her name. The Ellie Caulkins Opera House opened with a grand concert celebration in 2005 and is now a cornerstone of Denver’s flourishing arts scene. Ellie has served as Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera National Patron Program. Her tireless dedication has earned her the title of Lifetime Honorary Chairman of Opera Colorado.

Carin Asbach Gordevitch and Sally Rogers Epstein had a great visit with Anne Overman Bunn in Florida last summer.

with Anne Overman Bunn in Vero Beach, Florida. Jenny travels a great deal due to her participation in a time share plan.

1955 Fred Greenberg and Dick Stinson

1975 Susan Fortunato Carter

1962

writes that her son Jeff is a senior at Morristown-Beard School this year.

Alison Cady and Lauren Lentine were recently treated to a wonderful tour of Sedona, Arizona by local resident and Beard almuna, Gail WISS Heyer. Gail and her husband John greatly enjoy the splendor of the southwest.

1977

Loretta Porter James hosted a lovely Luncheon with honorary trustee Polly Campbell and Alumni Office staff Lisa Bevacqua and Lauren Lentine at the Madison Beach Club in August.

1965 Laird Johnson retired in 2007 and

Jenny Warner Laughlin visited

held on June 10th. Among the honors presented to Tom were: Special Congressional Recognition for outstanding and invaluable service to the community from Congressman Frank Pallone, a proclamation honoring him from the Ocean Township Municipality, a proclamation from the Ocean Township Board of Education, and an award from the New Jersey State Department of Education. Tom now moves on to his golf game, surf fishing, and “whatever may come my way.” He takes great satisfaction that Ocean Township High School is again listed among the top public high schools in New Jersey by New Jersey Monthly magazine and Newsweek magazine. He somewhat wryly notes that Ocean Township’s Quiz Bowl Team defeated their counterparts from Morristown-Beard School in a contest that was televised statewide last spring.

enjoys traveling around the world with his wife.

1967 Thomas Pagano recently retired as Superintendent of Schools after 38 years of service in the Ocean Township School District. A testimonial banquet honoring him for his service and achievements was

we’ve shared,” said Amy.

1981 Bill Scarlett successfully completed the Vermont 50-Mile Ultra Run in Ascutney, VT. “It took me 11 hours and 52 minutes to complete it, but I’m proud to report I finished,” Bill said. “This brings back memories of MBS cross country coach Andy Gill and all of the great guys I ran with back then.”

1986 Kim Brower Barton and her family are doing well since moving to upstate New York. “We still get back to New Jersey to visit my parents often,” Kim writes. “I hope to see my classmate, former teachers and fellow MBS alumni for our 25th Reunion in the spring.”

1987 Duncan Buchanan is currently

Leader Position on the Democratic County Committee in South Orange, NJ. Ellen still lives in Orange and hopes to represent Orange and all of the Beard women in her new position.

living in Holly Springs, North Carolina and working as a Network Infrastructure Engineer with Rex Healthcare in Raleigh.

On April 17, 2010 he married Melinda Jo Horn. “Hello to all my MBS classmates and friends!”

1978

1991

John Budlong served in Iraq and

Sallie Oakes O’Connor and her

suffered some injuries, but has recovered and is doing well. His wife of 12 years, Kimiko, unfortunately passed away on September 20, 2009. John is attending Rogers State University in Claremore, Oklahoma and would love to hear from fellow classmates. His e-mail address is john.k.budlong@usace.army.mil

1993

Ellen Wing was elected to the District

Florence Giannone Faul, Donna Ward Johansen and Amy Chaiken Wolffe got together in Palm Beach, Florida last April for a Morristown-Beard girls’ weekend. They had a great time remembering Rose Koch and all their friends from their days at MBS. “We laughed for hours over the good times

husband recently welcomed a son, Sean Thomas O’Connor on September 17, 2010.

He weighed 8 lbs., 11 oz. and was 20 inches at birth. Sean joins big sister Nicole, who is now 2 years-old.

While in Arizona, Alison Cady and Lauren Lentine enjoyed a great visit with Evan Mann.

Evan and his family reside in Scottsdale.

25

Alumni Enjoy Boston Reception

Morristown-Beard alumni gathered for a festive evening of cocktails at the Algonquin Club in Boston on October 7th.

The event provided a great oppor tunity for MBS grads to gather with old classmates, chat with Headmaster Alex Curtis, hear the latest news from campus and learn more about Morristown-Beard’s next fiveyear Strategic Plan.

Watch for more regional trips in the coming months. If you are interested in arranging an alumni get-together in your area, please contact Lisa Bevacqua, Director of Alumni Relations, at (973) 539-3032 ext. 549.

Randy Beard ’78 Remembered at Golf Outing The Class of 1978 lost a dear classmate last year when Cameron Randolph “Randy” Beard III died suddenly on December 2, 2009. He will be remembered as a loyal friend, dedicated athlete and a former Class President at MBS. Randy was a 6th generation member of the Annin family and worked at Annin & Co. for 25 years.

In Randy’s honor, fellow Morristown-Beard classmates organized a golf outing and dinner at the Essex Fells Country Club, where he was a lifelong member. MorristownBeard classmates who attended the event included: Tripp Billings ’80, Jon “Gump” Cunningham ’78, Tim Cutting ’79, John Fusco ’77, Steve Fusco ’79, Tom Fusco ’77, Robbie “Shifty” Shieffenhaus ’78, and Peter Van Der Graff ’79.

“Randy touched all of us with his leadership, friendship and sense of humor,” said Amy Chaiken Wollfe ’78. “He will be truly missed. Those who knew Randy were lucky to have been part of his life.”

26

1999

to pursue a career in the field of education including: Afi Daitey (Las Vegas, NV), Jenny Guempel (New Providence, NJ), Sarah Maione (Boston, MA) and Greg Williams (Newark, NJ).

Sofia Bajwa is currently a third year medical student attending Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University. “I am enjoying my clinical rotations and hoping to get back to New Jersey after I graduate in 2012 to pursue an internal medicine residency and ultimately a gastroenterology fellowship. Fingers crossed!”

Alan Cooper just took a promotion which led him from New Jersey to New Hampshire. He is now the Senior Vice President of Finance for Pike Industries, a stone, asphalt and construction company in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. “It’s a different country up here but I think I can get used to it. I’ll just have to get more into skiing, snowmobiling and ice fishing,” he said. “I also am on the board of the Lakes Region Child Care Services, a non-profit aimed at providing child care for the surrounding towns at affordable costs.”

Anjali Tatta Fehon and her husband Brian Fehon ’02 bought a house in Morristown, where they live with their two dogs. Anjali reports that she is working in marketing at Pricewaterhouse Coopers and is working towards an MBA at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Ridgely Harrison took a job as a Development Officer at The College of Saint Rose in Albany and is cultivating major gifts from the college’s alumni. “Saint Rose has never had anybody dedicated to visit with alumni, so I basically get to start with a blank sheet and build the program,” he said.

“I am very excited to take advantage of this great career move.”

Scott M. Robertson recently received some great news on a grant application. “The Autistic Self Advocacy Network – the international nonprofit organization for which I serve as Board Chairman – is partnering with the Arc of the U.S. and several other national and regional organizations on the new National Autism Information and Resource Center. An approximately $2 million grant from the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities will fund this national autism center over the next three years,” he writes. In other

Second Lieutenant Jack Ingber graduated from the University of Miami last spring and is proud to be serving in the United States Air Force as a student pilot.

after the fall tryouts. She was captain of the Morrstown-Beard girls’ lacrosse team in 2010 and earned First Team Prep B honors as well as All-Morris County Honorable Mention in 2009.

20 Years After:

Life, Lessons and MBS

By Lynn Saliba Moronski ’90

Christine Gallagher performed news, Scott is completing his dissertation research in information sciences and technology at Penn State University. His dissertation study is investigating cyberbullying and face-to-face bullying of autistic adolescents in K-12 education. Last spring and summer, Scott had an opportunity to participate in two invitation-only disability meetings at the White House: the White House World Autism Day Forum and the White House Americans with Disabilities Act Technology Innovation Forum.

on the NBC TV show “The Sing Off” as part of “Pitch Slapped,” a 16-member a capella group from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Since first competing in 2008, Pitch Slapped has earned the title of ICCA (International Competition of Collegiate A Cappella) Quarterfinal champion, each subsequent year. Earlier this year, Pitch Slapped earned the ICCA First Runner Up title at Lincoln Center in New York City.

2006

2000

Drew Barry graduated from Fordham University and is attending a Post Baccalaureate Science Program at LaSalle University.

Darnell Parker and his wife Marcie

2007

are happy to announce the arrival of their son, Grant Mitchell Parker, on October 29, 2010.

2001 Tiffany Halo plans to defend her thesis for a Ph.D. in chemistry at Yale University in December. She will pursue post-Doctoral studies at Northwestern University.

2003 Allen G. Castner and Allison J. Gioia were married on July 17, 2010 in Bohemia, N.Y. Allen is employed by Wyndham Worldwide as a human resource management system administrator. Allison works as a school psychologist in Mt. Olive.

The couple enjoyed a wedding trip to St. Lucia and now resides in Denville.

2005 Great experiences at MBS have influenced many graduates from the Class of 2005

Laura Lee Barry graduated from Montclair State University Summa Cum Laude and is attending the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.

2008 While in Tuscon, Alison Cady and Lauren Lentine were able to visit with Jackie Hollander, a junior at the University of Arizona.

2009 Alex Gelbert is enjoying life in Montreal, where he attends McGill University.

Justin Kundrat and Cassandra Postighone were both inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars at Villanova University. The NSCS is an honor society inviting high-achieving freshmen and sophomores. Members must rank in the top 20 percent of their class.

2010 Alex McDonough secured a roster spot on the Lafayette University women’s lacrosse team

As you may know, I am not a fan of crowds. Last week I decided last minute to attend a wine and hors d’oeuvres gathering, and so, I braced myself when I walked into the room for what I thought would be a meet-and-greet night.

To my surprise, a fellow MBS classmate greeted me the moment I came through the door. Confused, I asked, “Did you know that I would be attending?” His answer, “No, it’s facial recognition. Hey, didn’t we go to kindergarten together?” Yes, in fact, we’ve known each other for over 33 years, including our time at MorristownBeard. And, so, the friendship begins anew, or does it just pick up where we left off?

In contrast, at the same gathering, I was asked by a non-MBS graduate, “How did I not know you in high school?” Frankly, I was shy enough that I probably would have run away if we’d been introduced, and while this answer was good for a party laugh, in essence, it’s true. At MBS, because of the small number of us, we really did all know each other, including each person’s strengths and weaknesses. Dedicated teachers also made a distinct impact, from the accelerated driving skills of the late Art James to the wise advice of recently retired Rose Koch. All of us had a unique collective experience that still bonds us and continues to grow our friendships over time.

Have we changed since graduating? It depends…. Each of us was chosen to be a part of the MBS Class of 1990 for our uniqueness, and our mixed and matched qualities created a strong whole. We’ve been through the first round of life, and there are many events in our varied experiences that are not reflected in the Crimson pages: dating, college, marriage, divorce, babies or none, grad school, business ventures, good health, illness, employment, promotions, unemployment, anniversaries, celebrations, and graduations. We don’t feel much older, but now we have an interesting assortment of labels, including doctors, execu27

many years to come. She wanted to know

Alumni Hit the Gridiron for “Turkey Bowl”

how long this would take, and I answered, “If you wait long enough, your parade will come by.” Suddenly, I realized these are the exact words of advice that Phil Anderson had given me many years ago. And, so, the MBS experience that began all those years ago spins off into the future…

An enthusiastic group of alumni hit the gridiron on Thanksgiving morning for some fun and excitement at the annual Turkey Bowl football game on campus.

The event was organized by MBS football coach Tim Fell and included a friendly game of touch football as well as plenty of reminiscing and lots of coffee, cider and donuts for the spectators.

Once again, this year’s Turkey Bowl was played in honor of Todd Rothpletz ’92, who passed away in 2000. Todd’s classmates have requested that this be a celebration of Todd’s life and a day of thanks.

Parker ’00 and Williams ’05 Join Alumni Board

Traditional Day Camp Weekly Sessions June 20 to August 5, 2011 Plus...

Arts and Crafts Camp - Mountain Biking Camp World Languages Camp (French, Spanish & Latin) History Adventures Camp - Math Skills Camp

The Morristown-Beard Alumni Board is pleased to welcome Darnell Parker ’00 and Greg Williams ’05 to its ranks.

Darnell Parker graduated from MBS in 2000 and received a bachelor’s degree in social work and psychology as well as a master’s degree from Syracuse University. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in higher education at Widener University and works as the

th

Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs

Writing Workshop - College Essay Camp Digital Film Editing - Graphic Design Camp TeenXtreme Camp - Musical Theatre Boot Camp Strength and Conditioning Camp Crimson Sports Clinic

Joanne Dzama, Camp Director

Jdzama@mbs.net View our complete camp offerings online at http://summer.mbs.net or call 973 532-7569

Morristown-Beard Day Camp 70 Whippany Road, Morristown, NJ 07960

at Washington College in Maryland. In the community, Darnell serves as co-chair of the Kent County Human Relations Commission

Totton Golf classic

and corresponding secretary of the Washtives, attorneys, employees, parents, househusbands, homemakers, producers, piano players, teachers, actors, travelers and business owners.

The take-away lessons are two-fold: 1.) reaching a worthy goal takes longer than anticipated and, 2.) handling anything that comes our way has now been proven! We are young enough to correct our course if we wish, and yet, old enough to have the experience to recognize how lucky we are to have our friends, family and education. What began as an MBS experience over 20 years ago continues to strengthen and evolve. From chance meetings to scheduled get together, we still celebrate our collective experience and are the sum of all our parts.

At bedtime the night before starting first grade at a new school, my daughter asked me, “Why should I get to know these new kids?” I told her that she’ll be playing with them and enjoying their friendship for many, 28

ington Regional Task Force Against Campus Prejudice. He is also a board member of For

Please join us for the

All Seasons, a community mental health clinic and rape crisis center. Darnell looks forward to working with the Alumni Board in the coming year.

34 thLarry totton golf classic and crimson night

After graduating from Morristown-Beard School in 2005, Greg Williams earned a

Monday, May 23th, 2011

bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, with a major in political science and a minor in psychology. At Dickinson, he served as president of his fraternity and was inducted into Order of Omega, an honorary leadership society. Greg is currently the Athletic Director and a gym teacher at Link Community School in Newark, NJ. In addition to working at Link, Greg is very excited be a member of the MBS Alumni Board.

at Morris County Golf Club in Morristown

MBS Celebrates the Legacy of Rose Koch “She gave her help to any and all with no reservation,” said Dr. Cooper. “She has a joy of life and a tireless spirit.”

At a special Morning Meeting on December 3rd, members of the MBS community celebrated the remarkable legacy of history teacher Rose Koch and expressed collective gratitude for the many ways she served the MorristownBeard community.

Rose Koch, who retired last spring after 41 years of distinguished service, was praised by Headmaster Alex Curtis for her dedication to the students and for how she “imbued Morristown-Beard School with a social conscience.”

“The world really was her concern,”

said Dr. Curtis. “She had a global perspective for all the right reasons – to help those who are less fortunate.”

Dr. Alan Cooper, Mrs. Koch’s longtime colleague in the History Department, said that she was “a constant source of inspiration for all of us.”

“She gave her help to any and all with no reservation,” said Dr. Cooper. “She has a joy of life and a tireless spirit.”

Mrs. Koch joined the Beard School in 1969 to teach courses in African, Asian and European history. Before that, she taught in North Carolina and under-

went Peace Corps training in Watts, just after riots hit the area. She was a teacher in the Peace Corps in Nigeria and neighboring Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War. When the Morristown School and the Beard School merged in 1971, Mrs. Koch was among a small number of Beard faculty who made the transition to the new School. She was instrumental in the creation of a new Student Government Association and remained as SGA advisor throughout her entire teaching career. She also 29 27

“Mrs. Koch was the heart and soul of the students ...” brought the Model United Nations to MBS and was a motivating force behind the Service Learning Program.

The Board of Trustees presented a resolution of gratitude and appreciation in honor of Rose Koch “for her more than four decades of teaching at the Beard and Morristown-Beard Schools, for her selfless devotion of time and energy to all student activities, for her dedication to her colleagues and friends, and, above all, for her commitment to the thousands of students she has educated and mentored both inside and outside the classroom throughout a long career in service to others.”

In addition, the Morristown-Beard Alumni Association inducted Mrs. Koch as a lifelong member, and the History Department presented her

with a framed photo and plaque for “bringing the past and the world to generations of Beard and MorristownBeard students.”

Morristown-Beard students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends created a memory book for Rose filled with stories, memories and good wishes – illustrating the many lives she touched.

The sentiments were also echoed in a video tribute created by Ben Goland ’10, which was shown during the assembly.

“Students are the heart and soul of the School,” said Dr. Cooper. “Mrs. Koch was the heart and soul of the students whether or not they have had direct contact because of the impact and influence she has had on the entire ethos of the School.”

2010

ALUMNI BOARD

President: Patrick Burke ’84

Secretary: Monya Taylor ’88

Vice President: Loretta Porter James ’62

Treasurer: Jonathan Wort ’64

Board Members: Penny Boorman ’51 Taz Brower ’47 Corey Douglas ’02 David Genova ’02 Thompson Grant ’69 Fred Greenberg ’55

30

Jackie Griffith ’86 Peter Hedley ’97 David Kramer ’69 Hilary Morris ’97 Peggy Nelson ’59 Darnell Parker ’00

Cardie Saunders ’92 Brian Sheridan ’90 Jane St. Lifer ’74 Louise van der Does ’87 Greg Williams ’05

In Memoriam Henry Potts ’48, June 26, 2010, age 81. Henry attended the University of Kentucky and was a long time resident of “Popodicon” in Shepherdstown, WV. He is survived by a sister and nieces and nephews.

Arthur (Art) M. Dudley ’49, August 6, 2010, age 79. Art grew up in Morristown and lived in Basking Ridge from 1976 until his death. His and his late wife’s favorite place was their summer home on Long Beach Island. After Morristown, he graduated from Marietta College, served in Italy with the US Army from 1954-56 and worked for Exxon for 33 years until retiring in 1986. He is survived by his son, two daughters, 6 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Johannah (Hannah) Marie Dwyer Weinhofer ’53 age 75, July 29, 2010. A long time resident of Raritan Township, Johannah was a licensed realtor and past president of the Hunterdon County Board of Realtors. Predeceased by her former husband, she is survived by two sons, a daughter, two grandchildren and sister Kate Dwyer Corvaja, ’55. Hannah was an active volunteer in civic, environmental and child welfare organizations including as a board member of both the Board of the South Branch Watershed Association and the Raritan Township Planning Board. She was a mediator for the Raritan Township Court, guardian in the Volunteers Guardianship Office “One-On-One” program and for many other organizations.

Susan Hancock Rose Clark ’59, June 9, 2010, age 69. Susan was born in Morristown, grew up in Millburn and Short Hills and after Beard graduated from Skidmore College. She earned a M.A. from SUNY Albany and long taught elementary school art in that area. She later worked in student activities, first at SUNY Albany and then at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York where she was Assistant Dean for Students Activities. After a hiatus from work to raise her son, who survives her, she opened the Bay Head Shoe Shop in 1982 and owned and operated it for 15 years, as well as a shoe shops in Fair Haven and Sea Girt. She was instrumental in helping to form the Bay Head Business Association. Susan was best known for her hat design business, Brims of Bay Head, which included many of her famed original designs.

Jonathan (Jon) A. Vlachos ’66, Sept. 24, 2010, age 62.

A former resident of Far Hills, Jonathan lived in Bridgewater with his wife of 30 years. They reared two sons and two daughters there and had two grandchildren. All survive him as does his brother Robert “Nick” Vlachos,’65. Jon was an avid ice hockey player. At Morristown he was the MVP his senior year and won the Halvoran trophy. He was later elected to the MBS Hall of Fame. After Morristown, he graduated from Norwich University in Vermont and was an insurance broker at Willis, Inc. of NYC. Barbara Jaehnig Blauvelt, former President of the MBS Parents’ Association, July 1, 2010, age 65. Barbara attended the Short Hills Country Day School, the Kent Place School and received a B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan. In addition to heading the Parents’ Association at MBS, she was the first recipient of the Foley Award. She is survived by her husband, two children, Reginald “R.T.” Blauvelt ’99 and Abigail (Abby) Blauvelt Sheridan ’00, and three grandchildren.

Send Us Your News!

If you have a Class Note that you would like included in an upcoming issue of Crimson Magazine, please contact editor Steve Patchett at spatchett@mbs.net or the appropriate Class Agent listed below: Nancy Tazman Brower ‘47: tazbrower@yahoo.com

Stephanie Bush ‘91: Stephaniebush@verizon.net

Richard Palmer ‘47: RPal1@aol.com

Sallie Oakes O’Connor ‘91 oakessal@yahoo.com

Emma Joy Linen Dana ‘49: ejied@aol.com

Whitney Brussman ‘94: wbrusman@yahoo.com

Penny Boorman ‘51: bjimbobsally@aol.com

Heather Daur ‘96: heather.m.daur@db.com

Anne Overman Bunn ‘54: aandfbunn@yahoo.com

Hilary Morris ‘97: hmorris0506@gmail.com

Fred Greenberg ‘55: fgwindswept@aol.com William Phillips ‘62: swike7ct@comcast.net Loretta Porter James ‘62: lorettapjames@aol.com Nancy Wenz ‘63 nwen@asap.adminservices.com Carol Selman ‘64: cselman@mbs.net Jonathan Wort ‘64: jpwort46@gmail.com Jody Kennard ‘69: kennardj@ehsbr.org David Kramer ‘69: kramerphoto@optonline.net Jane St. Lifer ‘74: stliferart@aol.com Amy Chaiken ‘78: teacup522@aol.com Valarie Riback ‘82: riback5@verizon.net Patrick Burke ‘84: PJB52@columbia.edu Jackie Griffith ‘86: jrgriffith2000@yahoo.com Louise van der Does ‘87: lvanderdoes@gmail.com Monya Taylor ‘88: monyat22@yahoo.com Lisa Kaugher Humphreys ‘89: lisatomh@comcast.net Lynn Moronski ‘90: lmoronski@aol.com

Peter Hedley ‘97: Peter.Hedley@cbre.com Rachel Hicks ‘98: rachelginac@aol.com Ridgely Harrison ‘99: ridgelyiv@gmail.com Brian Dougherty ‘99: Brian.w.Dougherty@gmail.com Darnell Parker ‘00: dparker2@washcoll.edu Katie Harrison ‘01: ktlharrison@gmail.com David Genova ‘02: David.Genova@gmail.com Corey Douglas ‘02:

Corey.Douglas@morganstanleysmithbarney.com

Dennis Madigan ‘03: dmadigan95@yahoo.com Catherine Thomas ‘04 coffeecate@aol.com Mark Leonardis ‘04 mark.leonardis@am.jll.com Greg Williams ‘05: gregory.williams86@gmail.com Jennifer Conway ‘06: jennifer.lynn.conway@gmail.com Lisa A. Bevacqua Director of Alumni Relations Morristown-Beard School 70 Whippany Road Morristown, NJ 07960 (973) 539-3032 x549 LBevacqua@mbs.net

31

Marta McDowell Acclaimed Historic Garden Authority & Author

“Cultivating History: Unraveling the History and Mystery of Morristown Gardens and the Morristown-Beard School” BY Carol Selman ’64

2010

Lehman Lecture

Marta McDowell likes smart, stubborn, literary women who garden; she’s written about Emily Dickinson and is currently doing research on Beatrix Potter. Morris County’s Caroline Foster of Fosterfields is another of McDowell’s favorite subjects.

Marta herself is a smart, stubborn, literary woman who gardens. She is also an historic landscape and garden detective: The New York Times recently reported on her solving the “Mystery of the Delbarton Marbles.”

You can hear her solution on campus this spring. Ms. McDowell is bringing her wit, erudition and gardening wisdom to this year’s Lehman Lecture: “Cultivating History: Unraveling the History and Mystery of Morristown Gardens and the Morristown-Beard School.” Her talk, which will be held on Saturday, May 14, 2011, is part of the Alumni Weekend celebration.

“My favorite work is historic landscape research and resto32

ration. Then, I like to guide others to see familiar landscapes through a new lens,” Ms. McDowell said. “I intend to weave pictures of the Beard School gardens in Orange and of the Morristown campus into the Morris County story.”

Ms. McDowell has been combing the School’s photographic archives and yearbooks to recreate the landscape history of the Schools. She will also work with students from the architectural classes at MBS prior to her talk.

You can count on this: the talk will inform, fascinate and delight.

The indomitable Caroline Foster is the key to Morris County garden history. In middle age, she designed and built her own cottage gardens at her father’s farm, Fosterfields, which Ms. Foster bequeathed to the county upon her death at age 102 in 1979. Ms. Foster knew all the quiet millionaires who transformed the Morris County countryside. In 2008, Foster’s 1928 “visiting garden” list set Ms. McDowell on a successful quest to uncover both the gardens cited and a few more, too.

Her talk will also include stops at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum - built as Whippany Farms, the 1891 summer estate of George G. Frelinghuysen; Twombly—the Vanderbilt/Twombly mansion restored by the Friends of Florham for Fairleigh Dickinson University; and the Luther Kountze estate that became Delbarton.

“It’s a multicultural story, too, McDowell said, “Immigrant Italian-American gardeners and masons brought their old world experience here.”

An in-demand writer, lecturer, garden designer and historic garden investigator and consultant both locally and nationwide, Ms. McDowell is a 1979 Phi Beta Kappa, honors graduate in American Studies of Douglass/Rutgers. She also holds a Certificate in Landscape Design from the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) where she was the advisor and featured speaker for their 2010 exhibit, Emily Dickinson’s Gardens: The Poetry of Flowers. Ms. McDowell’s book, Emily Dickinson’s Gardens, was published by McGraw-Hill in 2005.

In 2007, she created a landscape interpretive plan and wrote the script for the audio garden tour at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst.

Closer to her Chatham home, Ms. McDowell was a horticulturist for five years at Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit, NJ and currently teaches gardening classes at the Van Vleck Gardens in Montclair. She is presently working on the restoration of a 1920s garden in Morristown and the history of Willowwood Arboretum in Chester. She is on the Board of the NJ Historical Garden Foundation at the Cross Estate.

Ms. McDowell teaches landscape history and preservation at both NYBG and the Historic Preservation Program at Drew University. Prior to following her gardening passion, she was the Vice President of Information Systems at Prudential.

The Lehman Lecture was established in 1989 by Emily Lehman Smith ’56 and Gail Lehman Harty ’59 to honor their father and grandfather, architects and builders. It brings leading figures in art and design to campus each year. The lecture will be held in the Theater at Founders Hall at 10:30 a.m, on May 14. There will be an opportunity to speak with Ms. McDowell after her talk.

sav e t h e date !

Alumni Weekend Graduates of Class Years Ending in 6s and 1s!

MBS Sweet 16 Reunion Giving Challenge

May 13-14, 2011 Morristown-Beard welcomes all alumni back for our Alumni Weekend in May! Weekend HighliGHTS: Friday Athletic Hall of Fame Honoring Jyles Tucker '02, Taryne Barnes Peppo '86 and Amy Arnold '97 Saturday Lehman Lecture • Alumni Bar-B-Que • Alumni Cocktail Party For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 973-539-3032 ext. 549.